fashion

Analog survival in a digital age

Opening her luggage after her arrival, it was fairly apparent that some serious shopping needed to happen. Moving to Belgium, her fear of not having Thai food available had gotten the better of her. Pants, tops, socks and tees had gradually been sacrificed for fruit, vegetables, spices and traditional dance outfits. After dipping a toe in the water at Wijnegem shopping center last week, we decided to Antwerp city center when the first rays of sunshine were out. A colorful day of shopping in a refreshing way.

For about a decade America Today‘s self-branded Alex boxer were my absolute favorite. Well-designed (wedgie-proof ;-)), durable and comfortable, they offered great value for quality that was similar to Calvin Klein, but at a far better price. At one point however, an inside label was added that seriously irritated the skin and rendered them unusable (unless worn inside-out). A new generation slightly addressed this issue, but did not resolve completely … and I had to part ways with my favorite brand. Last week, I was informed that America Today had finally found a solution by simply removing the label … two days later the new version arrived at my door step. Perfect! The new boxers are available in their online store, but be careful the improvement only applies to this and this product. They are available with a buy two get one free deal and the 15FLIPIT coupon code gets you an additional 15% discount until the end of January 2016. Bargain.

When Adidas launched the Zero Negative Energy (ZNE) line, focusing on pre- and post-game athlete comfort, I wasn’t particularly listening. With the fashionable and sharp traveller edition they caught my attention. My ZNE hoodie struck me as smart and fashionable, has an elongated hood that helps drown out cabin rumour during flights, has many hidden compartments and uses premium lining to make you feel at home during long hauls. Sounds like a lot of mumbo jumbo, but it’s genuinely lovely. Classic.

Amongst how to articles about Thailand, straight-forward and practical guidelines for everyday men’s wear (and shopping) seem under-represented. Nevertheless, walking around reveals that there is a very clear and present need for guidelines. While I might be naturally inclined to hit a sarcastic note, the pointers remain valid. The perfect compromise lies between respect for local culture and being yourself, somewhere in-between.

With the new Star Wars movie about to be released, Thai fashion retailer Jaspal jumped on the bandwagon with a limited edition Star Wars line. The result is a mix of smart casual meets The Matrix, with a pinch of geeky chic and references to the original Star Wars trilogy. GQ Thailand even published a spread about it. What do you think? Win or fail?

American designer Sherri Hill makes very elegant dresses, there is no question about that. While we have come to accept that Photoshop is used on glamour shots, Mrs. Hill might be taking it one step too far. Digitally removing ribs, defying gravity, re-jointing legs … it’s all a bit much. Key in getting potential customers to identify with your brand, is to remember that they are human 🙂 Otherwise: absolutely love her formal evening dresses, they are ravishing … illustrated by her collection for fall/winter 2015 at New York Fashion Week (runway video available below).